Mad River Lightning U12 Division 3 girls ended their season in first place. Lightning edged out Rohnert Park Storm by one point, earning 30 league points to Storm’s 29. Eel River Rapids placed third with 16 points.
Teams earned 3 points for each league win, 1 for a tie and 0 for a loss. Ending the season undefeated in league play, Lightning racked up 9 wins, 0 losses and 3 ties. The team entered four tournaments this season, taking home two third place and two first place medals, ending their season with an impressive overall record of 18 wins, 2 losses and 4 ties.
Lightning beat second place finisher, Storm, 2-0 in their first head-to-head league match-up. In the last weekend of league play, Lightning tied Storm 1-1. The league champion title came down to Lightning’s final game against Eureka White; Lightning needed a win to hold on to first place.
The game was tied 0-0 at the half. Lightning coach Joe Homem, who also coaches the successful Arcata High School girls, moved goalie Megan Vina out on the field to fire up the Lightning offense. Shots by Kaylee Holland, Day Robins, Brook Coelho, Alissa Mooney and Michaela Schunk came close but missed the net. Midway through the second half, Alex Campbell scored on a breakaway.
Lightning defenders Katerina Heppe and Hailey Ford held off Eureka White for the remainder of the game. Mad River Lightning beat Eureka 1-0 and earned enough league points to finish their season in first place.
